One more USF opponent on NFL Draft list

We told you last week about the slew of talented players who won't be playing against USF in 2008 because they're leaving early to go into the NFL Draft in April. Our initial list of nine didn't include West Virginia defensive end Johnny Dingle, one of the Big East's best pass rushers, who joins teammates Steve Slaton and Darius Reynaud as significant losses for the Mountaineers.

One more surprise name on the NFL's official list of early entrants is UCF junior guard L.J. Anderson, who has started 31 games in three seasons with the Knights. Haven't seen it written anywhere other than the list posted at NFL.com, but Anderson would have been an experienced leader on UCF's 2008 line, which also lost two senior starters to graduation.

Syracuse receiver Taj Smith, who had been reported as an early draft entry, wasn't on the NFL's list, though that doesn't necessarily mean he'll be back for the Orange, either. Add in N.C. State safety DeJuan Morgan, though, and that's 11 players on USF's 2008 schedule leaving early, with some, like Rutgers' Ray Rice and Kansas corner Aqib Talib, projecting as first-round picks.

There are 12 NCAA programs that lost two or more players to the draft, and USF plays four of them.

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South Florida Bulls fans, you've come to the right place: the USF Sports Bulletin blog. Tampa Bay Times sportswriter Joey Knight, who covers USF, will post news and thoughts on the Bulletin, and we invite your participation in the comments area. Follow the Times' coverage of USF athletics on Twitter.